Battle of Monmouth

The Battle of Monmouth was a military action that took place on 28 June 1778 at Freehold, New Jersey in the Revolutionary War. Although indecisive, it forced the British to retreat to Sandy Hook.

Background
After the Sullivan Expedition, Continental Army General Charles Lee rode on Monmouth with his army to fight the British in New Jersey, who were retreating from Philadelphia to threaten Washington's bases in the north. The British, led by General William Howe, had 15,000 troops, facing 11,000 Patriots near Freehold Courthouse, at Monmouth on the Frontier of New Jersey.

Battle
Fighting opened when several British platoons advanced on the Marquis de Lafayette's force, so as he retreated, his personal bodyguards and elite troops held off the British with artillery fire. The Americans fought until they ran out of cannon ammunition, at which point they withdrew. Many were executed as they were captured, but the rest fled to the main body, who had deployed into firing lines.

During that time, General Charles Lee arranged a retreat in the middle of battle in hopes of having General George Washington killed or disgraced, but Lee failed, as Washington rallied the troops, and the Continentals held off the British troops, forcing a retreat.